Many modern buildings have central vacuum cleaning systems. These systems have a suction motor to create a vacuum in a series of pipes through the building. A user of the system connects a flexible hose to one of the pipes. The hose has a handle for the operator to grasp. The handle is further connected to one or more cleaning accessories.
The motor is housed in a motor housing that typically forms part of a central vacuum unit, often referred to as a “canister”. The canister also has a receptacle portion for receiving dust and other particles picked up through the cleaning accessories and transported by the vacuum through the hose and pipes.
The canister is usually placed in a central location that is easily accessible for emptying the receptacle. The motor is typically powered by line voltage that is controlled by a motor control circuit in the motor housing.
Low voltage wires typically run beside, or form part of, the pipes and hose between the canister and the handle. This permits the operator to control the motor by sending low voltage signals from the handle to the motor control circuit. In order to receive the low voltage signals, an opening is provided in the motor housing through which the low voltage wires can be connected to the motor control circuit.
Installation of the low voltage wires can involve a great deal of effort, particularly when the system is being installed in an existing building. It is known to use a hand held radio frequency remote control to control a central vacuum unit. It is known to transmit control signals through existing power lines in a building. Add-on remote control units for turning on and off a central vacuum unit are also known.
Improvements to, or alternatives for, existing central vacuum cleaning systems and central vacuum cleaning system control subsystems are desirable.